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TSZIE 



Vol I. 



BOSTON, JUNE, 1885. 



No 3. 



THE CRIMSON HOUSE-FINCH ; 



AND orriKR NOTKS. 



This pretty little bird is found through- 

 out this State in greater or less num- 

 bers, but more especially is it foiuid in 

 the southern portion : it is here what 

 the English Sparrow is in the east- 

 ern portion of the U. S., — in fact so 

 numerous has it become of late, that 

 it has become a serious discussion 

 among fruit-men to adopt some 

 means of exterminating to some ex- 

 tent this little feathered tyrant, who 

 delights in a little private repast on 

 fruit-buds and flowers. The crimson 

 House-Finch is an extremely sociable 

 bird, preferring the abodes of men 

 in the vicinity of his nest. In fact, 

 his nest is often constructed under 

 the very eaves of a house, on some 

 protruding cornice, or amongst the 

 the vines and shrubbery immediately 

 adjacent to the house. Indeed, there 

 is a nest of this familiar little bird, 

 containing four little sky-blue eggs, 

 spotted on the larger extremity, within 

 a few feet of me now, as I sit writing 

 on the porch to ]Dass away a few idle 

 moments. 



This little bird remains with us 

 the whole year, and begins laying 

 about the first of April ; however, 

 fresh eggs can be met with a late ais 

 the last of -June. In the latter ease, 

 liowever, it is probably the second or 

 third litter. 



The Lawrence and Greenbacked 

 Goldfinches are near relations of this 

 little bird, though differing materially 

 in plumage and habits. 



In this country, the location of the 

 nests of the Lawrence Goldfinch are 

 usually among the dense groves of 

 Blue-Gum or Eucalyptus trees, which 

 abound very plentifully in this lo- 

 cality. 



The egg of this Goldfinch is posi- 

 tively white, and not blue, as is often 

 asserted by amateurs. The habits 

 and nest of the Greenbacked Gold- 

 finch resemble those of the Lawrence, 

 but the eggs are of a bluish tinge 

 instead of a pure white. This little 

 bird is especially plentiful in our ele- 

 vated groves and orchards, where it 

 delights to feed upon the mountain 

 thistle and seeds of numerous small 

 plants. 



The fact of these little Goldfinches 

 resembling tame canaries in habits, 

 appearance, etc., to a great extent 

 has led me to try the experiment of 

 domesticating them, but, although 

 having made several attempts, my 

 efforts in this direction have thus fai' 

 proved futile. 



'J'he Crimson House-tiuch, on the 

 contrary, is very easy to domesticate, 

 and will even go so far as to mate 

 witli tame canaries, when confined 

 with them. 



A. M. SiriKLDs, 



Los Angelos, Cal. 



